Connector for high temperature electrical heating element



0a. 29, 1968 N. M. CHIKINEV 3,408,608

EMPERATURE ELECTRICAL HEATING CONNECTOR FOR HIGH T ELEMENT 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 16, 1965 N. M. CHIKINEV CQNNECTOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE EL Filed June 16, 1965 ECTRICAL HEATING Oct. 29, 1968 N. M. CHIKINEV CONNECTOR FORflIGH TE Filed June 16, 196 5 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 means of a non-cooled contact 4 United States Patent CONNECTOR FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE ELECTRICAL HEATING ELEMENT Nikolai Mikhailovich Chikinev, Kaluzhskoi Oblasti,

ulitsa Pushkina, 2/5, Apt. 49, Obninsk, U.S.S.R.

Filed June 16, 1965, Ser. No. 464,324

8 Claims. (Cl. 338-316) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An expansion compensator connecting a heater element and a current-carrying terminal of a high temperature heater such as in high pressure furnaces in which the temperature may reach as high as 320 C. and the pressure as high as hundreds of atmospheres. The compensator is an axially deformable graphite body in the form of a sylphon, spiral spring, zig zag member, or the like.

capacity of the compensator.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simple and reliable design of the expansion compensator for high temperature heaters of electrothermal devices.

According to the present invention, this object is accomplished by a compensator made of graphite. The compensator may be spiral spring.

A more complete understanding of the invention may be had by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a zigzag expansion compensator, the associated apparatus being shown in phantom;

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of two zigzag expansion compensators, the associated apparatus being shown connecting bus bar);

FIG. 3 is a general cross-sectional view of a zigzag duplex expansion compensator, the associated apparatus being shown in phantom;

FIG. 4 shows an expansion compensator, partly broken away, in the form of a sylphon, the associated apparatus being shown in phantom;

FIGS. 5 and 6 show expansion compensators in the form of spiral (cylindrical and conical) springs, the associated apparatus being shown in phantom.

As follows from a consideration of FIGS. 1, 2 and 3,

and a nut 5, and to the current-carrying busbar 6 by means of bolts 7.

The expansion compensator, in the form of sylphon 8 (FIG. 4), is provided with a number of elastic members in the form of corrugations 9. A non-cooled contact 4 is employed to connect the compensator to the heater 3, while the current-carrying busbar 10 is screwed directly on the compensator housing.

The compensator 11, in the form of spiral springs (cy- 3,408,608 Patented Oct. 29, 1968 lindrical, FIG. 5; conical, FIG. 6), is provided with a plu- .rality of elastic members in the form of coils 12. The noncooled contact 4 is employed to connect the compensator to the heater 3, while the current-carrying busbar 10 is screwed directly onto the compensator housing.

The current-carrying or connecting busbar can unite two to three or even more heaters through a corresponding number of compensators.

The compensator operates as follows. When the electric current is passed through the heaters, the latter are heated to as high a temperature as 1800 to 3200 C. Each heater 2 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3), sylphon 8 (FIG. 4), and coils and 6).

The described compensators of the thermal expansion of high are simple in design and easy to manufacture, operating in the temperature range from 1800 to 3200 C. practically at any ambient pressure. The may be gas Or a mixture of gases that graphite at the indicated temperatures; namely, hydrogen, hydrocarbons, ammonia, and inert gases.

and annular corrugations 9 of the 12 of the spring (FIGS. 5

trolled in two ways:

(a) By varying the number of brackets 2 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3), annular corrugations 9 (FIG. 4), and coils 12 (FIGS. 5 and 6);

(b) Varying the length of brackets 2 (FIGS. 1, 2 and 3), the dilference between the maximum and minimum diameters of the annular corrugations 9 (FIG. 4), and the ratio of the diflerence of diameters of the coil 12 to the height of said coil 12 (FIGS. 5 and 6).

The overall dimensions of the compensators depend on the value of the expansion to be compensated and the size of the heaters.

What is claimed is:

1. In a heater having a heater element and a currentcarrying terminal,

claimed in claim 1 wherein said annular corrugations to provide a claimed in claim 4 wherein said to the same current-carrying terminal. 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein two 4 .1. h atqalemen s Ewcprc dcd, s q m H 1 w 7 v v connected to 9. 3,205,343 9/ 1965 De Bell et a1 338-316 X two airiali y deformable bfranches each respective heater element, and a common body connected FOREIGN. PATENTS to said;branches and to the current-carrying terminal.

' 4 1,043,221 6/1953 France;

v v References Cited 62,89 9/'1?. 4 0II Iorway.-=- UNITED STATES PATENTS I M b I. G. SMITH, 'lgci'sfn nt Ex amijri er. f 1 

